The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-10-22

tmo II compcls the retention Of many official,
and employees whose services might otherwise
be dispensed with.
There is no reason to believe that the Re,
publican party would make or attempt to
make, any substantial reduction Of expondi-
lures, or give It's support to this necessary re-
form in the public service. IL could not do
either without repudating its past policy and
undoing its own work.
II VIC look beyond the ordinary outlay fOr
the support Of tho Government, and consider
the general course OF the two parties IN rela-
tlon TO the appropriation and expenditure Of
| the public money for other purposes the dill.
| ference between them is II possible sti II moro
important. In the matter OF pensions cspe-
cially, the Republican party, in and out of Con-
grcss has thoroughly committed itself to
| policy which, II carried out, would bankrupt the
country or ut the very least subject the peo-
| pie TO burden OF taxation that would seriously
cripple and embarrass all their indus
| tries While IL Is Just and polite
| that u Government kc ours, which
| maintains no large standing army, should
| grant liberal pensions to its wounded and dis
| ablcd soldiers and sailors. and to the widows
| and dependent relatives of those who have died,
the rights and interests of the great body OF the
| people, who pay the taxes, carry on the indus
| tries and develop the resources of the country,
! should not be entirely disregarded. Already
| the United States are cxpcnding annually, on
| account OF military and naval pensions, more
| than is paid by all the othor Governments in
| the world combined; and as time passes and
conditions changc-as old age and disease over
| take the survivors OF the late war, and the
| wealth OF the country increases-the benefits OF
| the law will be extended and the allowances
augmented, until finally oil who can show
reasonable term of service and an honorable
| discharge will receive the generous aid of the
Government. This policy is not only right in
itself, but 1t accords with the past course OF the
| Government toward the soldiers of other wars,
and no public man of either party should op.
| pose it, But there is n limit to the tax-payinS
| power of the people, and the real friend OF the
soldier-not the mere politician who is seeking
votes at the expense OF the public
treasury, but the responsible legislator,
who forcsces the consequences of his
action and wants justice done to all classes
will proceed slowly and cautiously in Il matter
involving such vital interests. The Republican
fparty is in no proper condition to control legs-
| lntion upon this subject 1t can not halt with.
out violating its pledges to the soldiers, and ~
can not proceed without doing an irreparablo
| wrong to the Taxpayers.
The Democratic party has always been tho
| friend of the navy and the merchant marine,
| and so long us 1t remained in power the Ameri-
| can flag was displayed on every sea and in
every commercial port. Seventy-five years ago
| when the Republic was in its infancy, our ships
| of war won imperlshabc renown in the conflict
with Great Britain, the boasted mistress OF the
| seas, and up to the beginning of the late civil
war more than three-fourths OF our foreign com.
| commerce was carried in our own vessels.
Now, after twenty-four hours OF Republican
domination, we have no naval establishment
worthy of the name and scarcely more thar
one-seventh part of our foreign carrying trade
is done by American ships. II the
mere appropriation and expenditure of money
had been all that was necessary, the Republic.
l,,p
iiicat ion for the task but unfortunately all it's
efforts to secure navy without either building
or buying vessels have sgnaly failed Nor
was 1t any more successful in its attempts to
increase foreign commerce and revive the car
rying trade by paying subsidies and bountics
out OF the treasury. The pnrayzing influences
of barbarous navigation laws can not be obvi
ated by such artificial stimulunts.
Free ships and liberal laws for the regulation
OF trade, instead Of restricting legislation and
unfriendly taxation, woulu do more in few
years to restore our merchant marine and in
crease our commerce with South America and
other parts of the world than was accom-
plished during all the time the Republican
party had charge of the Government Com.
mercial treaties, while they may be desirable
under peculiar circumstances, are generally
more favorable to one party than the other,
and are therefore frequently unjust. Besides,
they grant exclusive privileges and make
against other friendly nations, thus pro-
vosing u spirit of retaliation upon their
part which may greatly injure the interests Of
our citizens abroad. AS general rule, great
power like the United States should always re-
tain absolute control over its own affairs, and
not embarrass itself by commercial or other
alliances with foreign Governments. We have
1t in our own power, without bargaining or con-
sulting with any other nation, to adopt policy
which will insure domestic tranquility, extend
our commerce, create new and profitable mar.
kcts for our products, revive our ship-building
and ship-owning interests, and infuse new life
and energy into every department of industry.
1t is the Democratic policy of low taxation,
economy in the administration OF public affairs,
non-nterference with the private business OF
the people, equal regard for the reserved rights
OF the States and the constitutional authority Of
the Federal Government protection to the citi-
zen Mt home and abroad, and just and equal
laws for the promotion and encouragement OF
every honest industry and every species Of
lawful commerce.